Hindus are seeking apology from global food company Campbell’s for listing a beef recipe under “Diwali Inspired Recipes” stating “Celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, this autumn with Campbell’s Kitchen’s collection of inspired recipes” on their website.

“Stir-fried beef” is part of “Spicy Beef & Broccoli Pinwheels” which is listed among “most popular” five recipes at “Diwali Inspired Recipes” page on Campbell’s website, where it is called “simply elegant entrée”. Ingredients also include company’s Swanson Beef Broth or Swanson Beef Stock.

Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, said that consumption of beef was highly conflicting to Hindu beliefs. Cow, the seat of many deities, was sacred and had long been venerated in Hinduism.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, indicated that it was highly insensitive for the Campbell Soup Company to term a beef dish as “Diwali Inspired Recipe”. It was very hurtful to the Hindu feelings as Diwali was the most popular Hindu festival, which falls on November seven this year; Zed added.

Zed further says that Hinduism is rich in festivals and religious festivals are very dear and sacred to Hindus. Diwali, the festival of lights, aims at dispelling the darkness and lighting up the lives and symbolizes the victory of good over evil.

Hinduism is oldest and third largest religion of the world with about 1.1 billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal. There are about three million Hindus in USA.

Campbell Soup Company, founded in 1869 and whose “beliefs” include “We believe in the power of food to connect people”, “makes a range of high-quality soups and simple meals, beverages, snacks and packaged fresh foods”. Headquartered in Camden (New Jersey), it claims annual sale of over $8 billion and states that 95.8% of U.S. households have a Campbell product.